Former Army Chief Bajwa's behaviour changed after extension in 2019, says ex-PM Imran Khan

Former Pakistan's army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa's behaviour changed after being granted an extension as the military's head in 2019, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan claimed, The News International reported.

While speaking in an interview with a private channel, the former Prime Minister said, "General Bajwa changed after the extension and compromised with the Sharif. He decided, at that time, to give them the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO)."

Khan also claimed that Bajwa hired Hussain Haqqas the then ambassador of Pakistan to the United States and said that Haqqani joined the office through the Foreign Office, without any information.


"They met Haqqani in Dubai and hired him in September 2021," Khan said.

Khan added that the former diplomat began lobbying against him in the United States and promoted General (retd) Bajwa, according to The News International.

The ousted prime minister, who departed from office following a no-confidence motion last spring, linked the alleged cypher by US diplomat Donald Lu, which Khan claimed was part of a conspiracy to topple his government, was the result of the lobbying in America.

"Gen Bajwa would repeatedly tell us to focus on the economy and forget about accountability," Khan said.
The former PM complained, "Mr X and Mr Y asserted their pressure in Punjab and threatened our people to join the PML-N."

Speaking about the attempted assassination attack on him, Khan alleged that he knew that PM Shehbaz Shehbaz, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and a senior officer had planned the attack.

Speaking on the names proposed for the interim chief minister in Punjab, Khan said that his party and allies gave trustworthy names for the post in the province. He also slammed the candidates named by the opposition claiming that one is Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Zardari's frontman, while the other is Shehbaz Sharif's, reported The News International.

"One name was involved in regime change against us. If the election commission appoints such a man, we won't accept it," the PTI chairman asserted.

Although the caretaker CM in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has taken his oath, the opposition and government in Punjab are still at odds over the appointment. As a result of the contention, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will now decide the matter.

Commenting on the problems of Sindh, Khan said that the province's situation was "the worst" across the country. "PPP's corruption has brought Sindh to ruins," he said.

The former premier termed the people of Sindh and Karachi as the most oppressed given the city's state and the delays in its progress. Khan said he knew he "had to" go to Karachi, as per The News International.